From birds…to Little Wooden Dolls?

I have lots of birds lined up from the past week to post, but I just had to pass this on! Look at what my Aunt Diane made me for my birthday—a Little Wooden Doll with a “Birding Girl” outfit! Can you believe it? She designed this little outfit just for me. “Birding Girl” even has a little leucistic bird perched on her birding hat, and if you check the pocket in her birding vest, you’ll find her own field guide (featuring Red, of course!), and in those slim-line khaki pants it looks like she found a feather along the way...

Thanks Aunt Diane. I love Birding Girl!

There is a long story behind this doll that goes all the way back to 1967 when Aunt Diane created the first Little Wooden Doll just for me. I was in the first grade then and absolutely fell in love with them. I thought they were so special since Aunt D had made them, and I still have them, complete with the little armoire that held their clothes! Little Wooden Doll has come a long way since 1967!

Groovy, baby! I dig that bathing suit!

Over the years, Aunt Diane modified and upgraded the Little Wooden Doll, and in the early 90s I drew several doll faces for her. Can you tell which concept she ended up going with?

…and just recently, she started a blog (I wonder who talked her into that?). So head over to Aunt Diane’s blog, home of the Little Wooden Doll, and say hi. She barely gets any visitors because she’s so new, and I think she’s tired of just getting comments from me. So say hi and welcome her to the blogging world.

The Little Wooden Doll is like a paper doll, but her clothes are fabric. Aunt Diane designs and makes all the clothes. On top of that, Little Wooden Doll is quite literary. Here are just a few of her posts…

…Merry Making at the Thomas Hardy Ball. This post includes “The Darkling Thrush.” The year both of my grandmas died I used this poem in my Christmas card. It’s such a beautiful poem full of hope…

…Christmas Dinner with Mr. Darcy. Since I’m a Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice freak (Aunt Diane is too), I love this one…

...and of course, Birding Girl...

P.S. Aunt Diane has already appeared on the blog way back in March of last year when we had our family winter picnic and birding party. You can also catch a glimpse of Aunt Pat and Joni (my mom) who together make up "The Three Sisters..."